Presser of the Day: Karen Chhour
- Administrator
- May 2, 2021
- 1 min read
Won’t Somebody Please Think Of The Children?
Friday, 30 April 2021 Press Release: ACT New Zealand
“The Waitangi Tribunal has completely missed the point with its review into Oranga Tamariki,” says ACT’s spokesperson for Children Karen Chhour.
“Oranga Tamariki is broken for all children, not just Māori. If we can’t get the current system right, how will creating an independent Māori Transition Authority fix anything?
“I was a Māori child in state care and I can tell you that Māori children aren't that different, they just need to be loved, fed, educated and not abused by the people who claim to care for them.
“We need to do what’s in the best interest of a child regardless of the colour of their skin.
“The review concentrates on the Treaty, parents and whanau. How about we ask what’s best for the kids? Nobody has stopped to ask whether removing children from these families was actually in their best interest.
“Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its Act should be colour-blind, utterly child-centric and open to whatever solution will ensure a child’s wellbeing. I have a Member's Bill which would ensure this happens, placing more value on the best interests of the child rather than the Treaty.”
These useless bureaucracies are almost incapable of sticking to their original remit or core competency.
Did the change to the name 'Oranga Tamariki' achieve anything besides increased contracts to marketing and stationery suppliers for the rebrand in the name of appearing to be busy doing something?
Add to that one of the most useless Ministers NZ has ever had, Kelvin Davis. In what world is that guy going to solve anything?
The Review of Oranga Tamariki has never concentrated first and foremost on the safety and well-being of the children involved. Rather it has sought to restore the mana of the whanau and to strengthen boundaries against perceived cultural encroachment. Any question concerning the whanau's actual ability to provide a safe and constructive environment has to be dismissed as culturally uncomfortable and therefore racist. But careless and dangerous family environments are not exclusive to Maori. It is a serious nationwide issue and should be the very first focus of Oranga Tamariki, well before concern with any cultural sensitivities. I am of direct Ngati Tuwharetoa descent and cultural values are of considerable importance to me but before all else I want o…
Good luck with that, you're going to need it. Equal treatment is racist now you know. The Maori activists will kill this bill as fast as they can, you can take that to the bank. They don't care about their children and the number of them killed, maimed and mentally ruined in some families, they are concerned with power, pure and simple. They really believe that we will give 50% of the power in NZ to 14% of the people. Are they right? What will happen when they try it? Is there any party, or MP, with the courage to call out this separatist, racist minority that wants a return to the old tribal rule of everyone by force. I love this country. It has given…
Karen has hit the nail on the head and hopefully her Private Members Bill will be well supported. All children should be treated the same and not be used as pawns to justify
racial separatism.